I guess so, replied Effie you’ll want to see her anyway. She’s a knockout.

Well, let her in, and close the door behind you.

Li'l Cindi

Li’l Cindi was ushered into the room and made her way to the large leather chair directly across from Sam’s desk. She climbed up into the chair and arranged her skirt about her. She removed a Little Bo Peep hankie from her small pink Hello Kitty purse. Her patent leather Mary Jane’s gleamed, and the morning sun caught on her little blonde sausage curls, reminding Spade that he hadn’t had lunch yet.

Sam smiled politely. What can I do for you Miss? He asked.

Well, I uhm. It’s just that. Uh well I thought maybe you could…

Just spit it out, Honey. I’m here to help you. Start from the beginning and tell me what’s on your mind.

Li’l Cindi removed a picture from her purse and pushed it across the desk.The Missing Maltese Sapphire

Sam’s eyes widened at the site of a gem in the grainy photograph. A large orangey, peachy, pinkish oval gem. What’s this he asked?

It’s a sapphire, replied Li’l Cindi, dabbing at the corners of her blue eyes. The Maltese Sapphire. It’s mine! I took… I mean borrowed it while I was on a cruise with Lavinia last summer. It belonged Prince Filbert of North Umberton Bobshire Peet. He let me hold it, and then he drank a buncha martini’s with his friends and forgot I had it so I put it in my ballerina jewelry box. But then it disappeared while I was on deck singing “Dancing Queen" at the karaoke contest. Which I woulda won if Janeen hadn’t been there. She sang "Muskrat Love" with her hair all Toni Tennille looking and stuff. And when I went back to my stateroom the box was empty.

Well, what happened next, asked Spade.

Well, that time we had Sherlock Holmes look for it and Stevie the Wren admitted to having it. She said she’d mail it right back to me and she did! It came in a Cracker Jack box, which was a good idea because who’d ever think the prize wouldn’t be just a stupid tattoo or something. So I put it back in my Jewelry box and this time I put a big rubber band around the box.

So, waddya need me for, kid? If you got it back okay and all.

Well, Mister Spade, I was going to take it with me to my friend Kat’s house so we could play and stuff, but it’s gone again! The box is empty. It’s gone! And the Prince sobered up and remembered I had his sapphire. He called me this morning and told me I had better cough the thing up or he’s going to take me to Sea World and throw me into the shark tank. Said he’d be in town tomorrow night. She dabbed at her eyes again with that stupid hankie.

You came to the right place, Little Lady. I’m pretty sure I can shake that rock out of it’s hiding place. Any idea who mighta snagged it, missy?

Well…… there’s a coupla of people – they were all on the cruise and they know I have… I mean had it….

Here’s some paper and a pencil. I gotta go out for a few minutes, so you just sit here and write out a list. You can write, can’t you? Better yet, go out and sit with Effie – have her type it up for you.

When Sam returned from a lunch of sausages Li’l Cindi was gone.

Effie just shrugged and said, She didn’t say. Just said she was going to do some checking around. Here’s the list. She sure runs with some characters! She says it could be any one of these. They all come over for tea parties and play hopscotch and jacks and stuff she said. They like to play hide n’ seek and make her be it, so everyone had plenty of opportunity to snatch it.

These are some shady characters! I’m gonna need some help with this. Effie, call in some of my favors. Tell those blogging detectives to start rattling around and find this thing for me. Give ‘em the list. And a deadline. And maybe throw in a small reward to get the lead out of this operation.

I ain't gonna do this without a reward, ya know.

Effie typed up a note for delivery to Spade’s pals:

Spade needs your help finding that Maltese Sapphire.Check the suspects. See what you can come up with.It’s probably out there in plain sight somewhere.We’re offering a reward.

In order to collect the reward you must:1) Find the sapphire2) Comment on this post with the location of the sapphire AT 8:00 PM EST on Wednesday the 28th3) The reward will go to one of the first 7 bloggers to replyafter 8:00 PM EST with the correct information. The winner will be chosen in a random drawing among the first 7 correct replies.

Reward: An Amusing handmade bracelet and earrings made with iolite, pearls, tourmaline, garnets sodalite and silver.

Why you wise-cracking pint-sized sausage-curled crook! Maltese Sapphire my foot! Don't you try to pull the wool over my eyes you twinkle-toed tot! Everybody and their Duke on the continent recognize this gemstone as the Padparadscha Sapphire, otherwise known as the P-Sapph! However, in the interests of the investigation, which I am conducting with not just one fine-tooth comb but a veritable army of fine tooth combs! And I'll leave no stone, shell, clam or hello-kitty purse unturned! I'll even yank one or two of those suspiciously large sausage curls and see if anything drops out and goes clunk all over the marble-tiled floor of my Rome apartment at which I have made the headquarters (HQ) of my investigation. Aided by several aide-de-camps, former allied spies and various other individuals uniquely suited to track down this gemstone and put the perpetrators of this heist behind bars and I don't mean Mars Bars, moosey!

Ah Lefty Lavinia - my frienemy at large - You..you and your combs. Do YOU have it? Huh? Huh? It's probably over here in this bowl of egg salad...or here ..what's this fake eye in the smoked salmon... quit steppin all over my patent leather shoes! I'm gonna pack up a few of these Italian ham sandwiches and then I'm off to find the P-Sap....er Maltese Sapphire.

Ah moosey, something smells fishy and it ain't salmon. You call me Lefty and I'll call you... two or three times a day. Who says so? I say so. I'd like to trust your detective but I have a feeling that wiseguy is serving it up thick on the half-shell. But I'll get to the bottom of all this and your fishy story will be washed out with the tide! That's right, I'm gonna pry apart the truth like a charter-clam!

Do you mean double-crossing Diamond Deb? Her diamonds are as fake as her credentials. I see you're back to keeping bad company. (shakes head). Diamond Deb indeed. I've seen more carats in a farmer's field. Ya better watch yer step at DD's dive. The floorboards are as shaky as her promises to go straight.

These all look like a pretty shady group of characters. I'm wondering if Lil Cindy is the sweet thing she's pretending to be or if this is a just a plan to distract us...lead us off the trail. Just look at that mug! I'm layin' low at a downtown joint just in case that Lil Cindy decides to pull a job.

I hope none of my birdies think it's an egg and they're laying on it?!! P.S. Geez, now everyone knows I was in jail....I did my time and probation Muse! Thought I could sweep that under the carpet....*cough* *cough*

Sam Spade, huh. Sounds more like a buncha wiseguys on the Three Stooges ta me!You'se guys never shoulda let Holmes go, I tell ya! If anyone's gonna solve this thing, it's the master detective, not some schmuck in a suit!I've got my eye on a few peeps and I'm reporting in to 221b Baker Street. Anyone with me?Maltese Sapphire! Hmph! Looks more like the Red Carbuncle ta me!I'm not givin' anthin' away, but if you wuz smart ya might start diggin' around at that Weird Anna's - she can't be trusted wit nuttin!

Yeah, Kat, I hears what yer sayin. Wierd Anna's next on my list for a shakedown. If you see Holmes you tell him I left 2 shillings and a sixpence off that bill of his. I ain't payin for his pipe tobacco. He can just stick it in his pipe an smoke it if ya knows what I mean.

Listen to me, Musey, I don't 'do' jewels. Like Lavinia said, my diamonds are all fake.

I'm a poor woman trying to lead life on the straight and narrow, and everytime you and Lefty come around, I find myself dragged off the trail, against my will. Since my husband's name is Tim, this concerns me. Unlike the rest of the people on the list, I've got a reputation I'm trying to protect.

PS Lil Cindy sure talks like a rough gal for all that sweet and innocent exterior. That strikes me as suspicious. She's been tainted by all those arch criminal minds in blogdom. GO BACK LIL CINDY!!!! IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO SAVE YOURSELF!! TAKE MY HAND!!!!!

EVERYBODY CALM DOWN!! Ain't nobody want to end up in the East River wearing cement shoes, or someplace else wearing a satin suit with silver handles! The word on the street is that 'Bruiser' is on the loose so everybody take cover till Hurricane Heist blows over. And as for Diamond Deb, like they say down at the speakeasy, Diamond by name, Cziamond by reputation~!-Lavinia

Diamonds - you wuz too late with that credit card check - how else do ya think Lefty's gonna foot the food bill for 142 amature gum shoes! Li'l Cindi's an okay kd I tell ya. She's got street smarts. She need's it to keep up with youse mugs. Lemme see that hand of yours - that diamond - no that one - on your pinky - looks a little pinky to me. Is that it? Is that what we're looking for?

That's tellin' her, Lefty. But let me tell you somethin'. Next time you deep six someone use cement. c-e-m-e-n-t - not that popcorn stuff you fill up your "overseas" packages wit. Unnerstand? You got floaters sailin down the east river like a bunch a tugboats. There's seagulls sitin' on them for crying out loud.

Hey Moosey what I do with the stiffs is my business! Anyway, they're all decoys, that's why all the ducks. If yous know what's good for ya, you'll stop tugging the boats and start boating the tugs, ya git me? I can't be any plainer than that!-Lavinia

If it looks like a duck and it quacks like a duck then maybe it's a duck. Them are seagulls, I tell ya, seagulls. Go see Shelly - she probably has some mug shots of seagulls you can look at. Anyway, I'm just sayin' you and your stiffs - yer starting to look like Flatbush Funerals With A Flair.

Janeen - I checkes yer kid's meds hours ago. If it was there it ain't now. There were some bleu cheese crumbs on the library table by the candlestick and it wans't from yer butler - I think Lefty's been casing the joint already.

Hey, I think I saw some peachy colored item floating around in one of Lefty's birdbaths! Uh, huh, 'ey? Me ... I'm straight now. Honest! Don't go near dem sparkley's anymore ... [toothy grin] But don't come sniffin' round me with dem hounds, copper. Any stiffs 'turn up' around my country home never get found, you see?! That pit in the back is just for garbage ... [laughing maniacally] ♥ ∞

You know...what better way to hide a joo-well than to feed it to a feverish child as a 'cold capsule'. It's safely hidden away...by the time she sees it again, the heat is off. Lil Cindy will have gotten bored playing her 'Barbie Forensics' and her 'My Pretty Crime Scenes' and begun eating paste or something. I hate to cast aspersion on the mother of a sick child, but by golly, I'll bet you that it was Janeen! Sparky's just a homicidal maniac, not a jewel thief.

"Sparky" Plug is certifiable,Diamond Deb is no doubt liable,Chachaneen's "pills" are ten-carat thrills,Li'l Cindi's curls are hiding stolen pearls,Blicky Kitty's innocence is paper thin,Poetikat's excuses will do us all in,Martha's told a fib; SoulBrush sounds too glibRenee is placing blame--On Stevie of Klepto fameClearly the party who is "not guilty"....is me!

Look I think one of you broads is up to somethin, see? I'd bet my daily stash of 10 packs of cigarettes on it. *cocks fedora to the side* This city never sleeps, baby, and neither do I when there's a case to work.

Sorry ... phone call took me away. It was more medical things for my impending surgery next week. The nice voice on the phone said they want to do an EKG (checking for a pulse??) but I was concerned they wanted to scan me for gems!

See ... even LL knows that Li'l Cindi is the quilty party!! [pointing my finger south towards Florida] ♥ ∞

Hah! Miss Debby I had to go have my graham cracker snack (with out peanut butter!!!) And take my nap. So there! So what if I did eat some paste - only a little though because they just don't make it like they used to. It doesn't have that piquant flavor - probably because they took the lead and mercury out of it. Yoare Frend, Li'l Cindi.

Sparky - did you fall for that EKG phone call? Blicky is well known in the realms of posers. It is - as you suggested - just a ploy to check for hidden gems. If the Dr. instructs you to cough, run like the wind if you get my drift.

OH GIVE ME A BREAK. Lavinia, innocent???!!!!!Bwahahahahahahahahahah! All a' youse is either idjits or incredibly naive. Hopeless cases. Lavinia should be the first on anybody's list. Janeen offered up a pretty good story line, with the whole 'I've got a sick kid' alibi, but Lavinia is a high living low life. She's resorted to criminal behavior before, and she won't hesitate to do it again.

And wasn't Stevie showing us pictures of her joo-wells just a few days ago on one of her blog posts?

Debby - don't worry about Lavinia - she's celebrating Opposite Day up there in the cold north. I'm about ready to take her fireplace apart stone by stone looking for that sparkly. Only 26 hours before that crazy prince comes looking for Li'l Cindi. I'm not sure that's such a bad thing though....shark tank....hmmm

Oh no! Blicky's been kidnapped! He meowed something about going to meet Slim to get the word on the street and now he's gone...GONE...GOONNNEE!! Oh my poor poor little innocent sweetie. He looked so cute in his little fedora too.

The game's afoot;It's in the bag;We're all deceivedBy some great wagWho weaves a taleFilled up with stuffin';Old Hitchcock called it "The MacGuffin".Not pointing any fingers, meThe answers clear, if we just see:One thing I knowWill knock you flat--It might be a "Birdie"It sure ain't the 'Kat".

OK I just checked out Debbie's Janeen's and Kat's. Everything seems OK but you never can tell...Kat does have a suspiciously gorgeous new decorating scheme at her joint. I wonder where she got the clams for her new digs.

HOLY BATMAN Blicky! Gasp~ you mean Veronica?! Well just today she stole 3 clues for the Saddle Club Riders Cup competition. They were hidden in her red coat pocket. She probably chose the red color to match the sapphire cause there aren't any around here. Nope, none at all. (clears throat) I think I'm getting my Man and Boy's sickie cough now.

I just made myself some Good Earth brand tea and the tag read, "You'll never be alone with a poet in your pocket" by John Adams. Perhaps this is a clue to who has the sapphire. There are many suspects though because of all the poetic suspects we have.

Linda - how refreshing to have someone who isn't suspect here in the middle of this finger pointing fray - at least I think you're not....wait a minute! Let me see that ring - that looks exactly like the one Lavinia was wea....tch tch tch. Better give it right back!

I certainly hope none of you suspect me. Here I am an innocent little Nana minding my own business. Yes, I may have been on the trip and I may have been hangin' around some of these characters, but you certainly couldn't suspect me, now could you? I hope I can remember to come back at 8pm tomorrow night. The reward looks so nice and would look lovely on me. I am kind of wondering about where someone could hide the jewel. Birds nests could be a nifty spot. I'm not pointing fingers or anything. I'm just saying. Then again that beautiful tub at Lefty's house could be a place where none of us would suspect. This should be very interesting! Just remember a little nana couldn't possibly do something so sinister. :)

I need a watch with an alarm so I can remember when we will find out about the sapphire. You know it just couldn't have been me. I would never remember where I had put it IF I would have taken it. I will get some rest and try to figure out who would have done something so dishonest. Poor Lil Cindi.

Okay. We need to send Blicky over to Nana Trish's house pronto. Blicky can pose as a starving, abandoned creature (can he pull the sweet cat face from 'Shrek'?). Grammies cannot resist kitties. While she totters off to heat milk for her widdle snookums kitty-widdy, Blicky can do some snooping.

Second thought: If Blicky finds the sapphire, can the fickle feline be trusted to return it.

Third thought: Should I be trying to comment again after making a fool of myself the last time I commented? *pauses to think* Oh. Wait. I blog. People already know...

Muse said 'Youse guys are making Li'l Cindi laugh so hard she almost made a m-i-s-t-a-k-e.'

Lucky us, everyone. The last time I made her laugh hard, she p-e-e-d. She carries an extra pair of her 'day of the week panties' in her pink plastic Barbie purse for just such an emergency. Don't tell her I told you. It will get her little sausage curls all sproinging around.

I know for sure that it's Soul the Brushoff who took the gem. She's gone totally out of her mind with this new baby and it like a Magpie (yes, the baby's name is magpie, or maggie or something equally shady) she's gathering shiny objects to give to this new little squirt. So I know it's her. Catch her!

Thank goodness, it looks like I'm not under suspicion this time. Cause I wasn't guilty last time that rock disappeared. I think it is a set up by Muse the Smooser and Lefty Lavinia. They shouldn't be trusted folks.

Okay here's the strategy:Mim we'll be checking Soul the Brushoff for shiney objects.Sending Blick on a mission to Trish's - Blick can pull off the "Nana let me in with no problem"Note to self: quit tickling Li'l CindiEveryone meet at Stevies after she leaves for work. I'll take the Library and the rest of youse guys spread out and check the ballroom, the boathouse, the greenhouse, the butler's pantry and the maids quarters. She think we don't suspect her (snort)

I do have to say, it grieves me deeply to discover that besotted grammies will steal for their little magpies...or that our own Nana will begin to say things like 'surely you don't suspect poor little ol' me' which everyone knows is a sign that you should (immediately) begin to suspect them.

I miss the old days when grammies were above reproach, when they could be counted on to bake an apple pie and to tell you what a little rascal you were while smiling. They did not get tangled up in things like this. *sigh*

Youse guys - I gotta take Li'l Cindi to her tap dance lessons and Karate - she's a black belt ya know. I'll bring her back after lunch. Youse mugs keep lookin for that gem. Shake down Jo the Aunt while yer at it. It's suspicious that she ain't even on the list.

My heels tap hesitently across the concrete floor. I call out into the darkness, "Guys? Hey...guys? This isn't funny. Where is everyone?" My voice echoes back from empty corners and vast expanses of open warehouse space 'every one, one one one...'

Well, here it is 8 p.m. or so in Belgrade(2 p.m. Muse-time,) and Bibi the Yank is about to go out for her evening stroll,and then will hit the sack (the one that she's hidden the sapphire in)...is anybody reading this?

Hello, Everyone! It's little old me. I was going to try and be here at 8pm, but I forgot to set the alarm to remind myself about the little contest. Bless my heart! I am afraid I have to agree with the person that said Lavinia. She has been very quiet tonight. Wonder what she is up to. She absolutely loves jewels and has such exquisite taste. Maybe she just couldn't help herself. She is a sweet little girl. I would hate to see her get into a life of crime. Oh when will we find out? I just couldn't sleep last night wondering about this. Please don't keep us in suspense too long. You know I have these ticker problems. love and kisses. You know your Nana couldn't be a guilty girl!

Sparkey - Lil Cindi was teetering on the brink of the shark tank - you may have saved her, her hiney and her Hello Kitty purse...Sending Sam Spade over there to verify and see what Blicky has to say for himself.

I was hanging around Sam Spades office having a chat with Effie and waiting for all our amature night dectectives to report in. Sparky called with what appears to be the one and only correct answer. Everyone else is still wandering around pointing fingers or in the Algiers or something. So Sparkey - you saved Li'l Cindi! I'll announce the winner -Sparky the Spark -with an updated post shortly!!